Railway track structure



Nov. 6, 1934. W DAU-QN 1,979,825

RAILWAY TRACK STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 5. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l His Attorneys,

wmf., 6, i934.

RAILWAY TRACK STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 5. 1932 2 Sheets-.Sheet 2 Inventor: Wiliam Dalton by www Hs Attorneys.

w, DALTON 1,979,825v l Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention more particularly relates to a track structure comprising a rail fastener which\ is simple in construction and easy to make and which at the same time exerts a suiiicient amount of pressure on the rail to securely hold the same on the supporting structure andprevent creeping thereof, thereby avoiding the use of special anticreeping devices.

Other objects of my invention will appearrin l0 the specification and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated certain embodiments thereof and in which- Fig.. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rail structure embodying my invention; y,

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional 'view taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating a modified form of rail fastener; y

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; l l

Fig. 6 is a side view of a modied form ofyfrail fastener; and L f Fig. 7 isa side view of a further modified form of rail fastener.

Like .reference characters indicate like throughout the drawings. I

Referring to the drawings, and rst to Figs. l, 2 and 3, 10 is a railway tie here illustrated as Vformed of wood, though it will be understood that my invention is equally applicable to a track having metal ties. A tie plate 11 is secured to the tie by the usual bolts 12. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the tie plate 11 is provided with double lips 13 forming a recess 14-in which is seated the ange151 of a track rail 15. VThe lips 13 prevent lateral f movement of the rail l5. f

The rail is secured to the tie plate by a rail fastener indicated generally at 16and comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop 17 the major portion of which isy curved in the same direction to form a convex surface on the outside. While I prefer to curve the entire loop in the same direction and have so illustrated the same, it will, of course, be understood that the advantages of my invention could be secured if the loop were not curved in the same direction throughout.

' One end of the fastener is y'shaped to form a shoulder 18 which normally engages the outer wall of an opening 20 with which the tie plate is provided thereby retaining the fastener in opparts Application-December s, 1932, serial No. 645,657

' (ci. zas- 349) erative position by preventing lateral displacement thereof. The extreme end of the fastener is preferably beveled as at 19 from the shoulder to the end of the fastener. The tie plate is also preferably provided with a recess 21 formed on 60 the lower side thereof adjacent -.to said opening and on the Wall of the opening opposite that whichis engaged by the shoulder 18. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the shoulder 18 is formed by forging 65 the metal at the end of the fastener so that the shoulder is formed integrally with the main body 'thereof and the opposite end 161 of the fastener engages the upper side of flange 151 of the rail preferably adjacent to the opening 20.

iin the embodiment of my invention villustrated in Figs. 1, Zand 3, one end of the fastener is preferably made straight from the point a to i the end which engages the rail flange and the inner side of the opposite end is also made 7,5 straight from the point b to the end which is received in the recess 21.

To insert the fastener in position, one end ,thereof is placed in engagement with the flange of the rail, and the vopposite beveled portion thereof is inserted in the opening 20 with the beveled portion thereof engaging the edge of the outer wall ofthe tie platearound the opening. Then by delivering a sharp blow vto the fastener. by a suitableto'oL the shoulder 18 rides over theedge 85 of the outer wall surroundingV the opening and snaps into position wth the shoulder engaging the outer wall in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 and the end thereof received in the recess 21.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in- Figs. 4 and 5 the fastener is curved to the outer end thereof, and the end of the fastener instead of engaging the upper surface of the flange as in Fig. 3, engages the edge of the ange so that it prevents not only the 4upward movement of the 95 rail but the lateral movement thereof which is, of course, a particularlyvaluable feature where theA tie plate is not provided with lips to prevent lateral displacement of the rail.

In the embodiment. vof my invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the inner. end of the fastener 16a is slightly offset as at 22 to form the shoulder 18a. l

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 7, a separate piece of metal 23 is secured 105 to theAouter side of the fastener 16h adjacent one end thereof, the same preferably being spot welded thereto as at 24. The piece 23 is preferably beveled as at 25 to permit easy insertion of the fastener in position.

By curving the major portion of the loop of the fastener in the same directon in the manner illustrated, the loop is formed on a comparatively large radius of curvature with the result that the fastener may be made of larger cross sectional area than would be the case if the loop were formed with reverse curves and with comparatively small radii of curvatures and may be made heavy enough to exert suicient pressure on the rail to prevent its being either vertically or longitudinally displaced.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the words which I have used are Words of description rather than of limitation and that changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from'the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a metallic supporting structure provided with an opening and with a recess on the under side of said structure adjacent the inner wall of said opening, a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, and a track fastener comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop, one end of said fastener being received within said recess and an adjacent portion of said end being provided on its lower side with a shoulder engaging the outer portion of the wall surrounding said opening, another portion of said fastener engaging a flange of said rail in a position to exert a downward pressure thereon,

2. In combination, a metallic supporting structure provided with an opening and with a recess on the under side of said structure adjacent the inner wall of said opening, a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, and a track fastener comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop, one end of said fastener being received within said recess and an adjacent portion of said end being provided on its lower side with a shoulder engaging the outer portion of the wall surrounding said opening, another portion of said fastener engaging a flange of said rail in a position to exert a downward pressure thereon, the major portion of said loop being included between said shoulder and the rail engaging portion of the fastener.

3. In combination, a metallic supporting structure provided with an opening and with a recess on the under side of said structure adjacent the inner wall of saidopening, a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, a track fastener comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop, one end of said fastener being provided with a shoulder adapted to engage the upper edge of the outer wall surrounding said opening and to extend diagonally downwardly and inwardly across said opening and receivable Within said recess, another portion of said fastener engaging a flange of said rail in a position to exert a downward pressure thereon.

4. In combination, a metallic supporting structure provided with an opening and with a recess on the under side of said supporting structure adjacent the inner Wall of said opening, a track rail mounted on said supporting structure and a track fastener comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop, one end of said fastener being Wedge-shaped and received within said recess and an adjacent portion of said end being provided on its lower side with a shoulder engaging the outer portion of the wall surrounding said opening, another portion of said fastener engaging a flange of said rail in a position to exert a downward pressure thereon.

5. In combination, a metallic supporting structure provided with an opening and with a. recess on the under side of said structure adjacent the inner wall of said opening, a track rail mounted on said supporting structure and a track fastener comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop, one end of said fastener being received Within said recess and an adjacent portion of said end being provided with a member welded to the underside of said fastener and forming a shoulder therewith and engaging the outer portion of the wall surrounding said opening, another portion of said fastener engaging a flange of said rail in a position to exert a downward pressure thereon.

6. In combination, a metallic supporting structure provided with an opening and with a recess on the under side of said structure adjacent the inner wall of said opening, a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, and a track fastener comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop, one end of said fastener being received within said recess and an adjacent portion of said end being provided on its lower side with a shoulder engaging the outer portion of the wall surrounding said opening, the other end of said fastener directly engaging a flange of said rail in a position to exert a downward pressure thereon.

'7. In combination, a metallic supporting structure provided with an opening and with a recess on the under side of said structure adjacent the inner wall of said opening, a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, and a track fastener comprising a piece of spring metal bent to form a loop, one end of said fastener being received within said recess and an adjacent portion of said end being provided on its lower side with a shoulder engaging the outer portion of the wall surrounding said opening, another portion of said fastener engaging the upper corner of a flange of said rail to exert a downward pressure thereon.

WILLIAM DALTON. 

